The Proud
by LaurieHime
Summary: In a time when Kunoichi have been disbanded, its up to Sakura to fight for change. In place of her father, Sakura disguises herself as a man in order to fight for all she holds dear, an offense punishable by death. As Iwa marches on Konoha, Sakura finds herself at the training camp under the leadership of Uchiha itachi and Hatake Kakashi. AU, Non-massacre ItaSaku
1. Chapter 1

Hello! So, this is my new story. I'm not going to lie when i say that Mulan helped to inspire this story. It's something that has been bouncing around in my head for ages, and while i know i should really be working on the Leaves of Change series, i just couldn't get this out of my head. So, i've gotten the first few chapters of this story written. I'm taking a slightly, smaller approach to this then i normally do. In chapter size i mean. Instead of the monstrous long chapters i normally try to attain, im going to have them all around 3-6k words, with SOME being as long as 10k.

_Summary_- In a time when Kunoichi have been disbanded, its up to Sakura to fight for change. In place of her father, Sakura disguises herself as a man in order to fight for all she holds dear, an offense punishable by death. As Iwa marches on Konoha, Sakura finds herself at the training camp under the leadership of Uchiha itacha and Hatake Kakashi. Two of the most intelligent and... perceptive captains in Konoha. Will she be able to keep her secret and fight for Konoha? Or will she be found out? AU and Non-massacre. Pairing is Itachi/Sakura.

All in all, i hope you enjoy this.

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto. Sadly.**

* * *

_**Taking over this town, they should worry,  
But these problems aside I think I taught you well.  
That we won't run, and we won't run, and we won't run.  
That we won't run, and we won't run, and we won't run.**_

_It was recommended to me many times throughout the years to make a memoir of sorts. A memoir entailing the role I, a mere woman, played in the Great Rock War. While the significance may not seem apparent in the younger generations, the older ones, and even the ones a decade or so younger than mine can understand._

_Women were not always allowed to fight for our great country, for about fifty years women were banned from the battlefield. We were labeled as a weak distraction by the Konoha Elders, who were able to outvote two different Hokage's on the matter. During the time of my birth, women had only two options to help the shinobi forces. One was to marry a ninja, and help provide as many male heirs as possible. A role in which many women took pride in, after-all, who wouldn't be glad to help provide your country a new generation of soldiers? Other women, especially the ones with high levels of chakra control, were encouraged to become Medic-nins. _

_The name itself was a joke. We were not ninja, not in the sense many of us wished to be at least. Instead we were trained only to heal and dodge. We would set up at camps and villages close to the battles and wait for the injured to come to us. It was a waste of time, and talent. The sexism of our regime kept Konoha from gaining the undiscovered talents that hundreds of our village women had. Not only did it deprive the village of potential shinobi, but the medic's inability to heal our men on the battle field left our men unnecessarily vulnerable._

_The third Hokage fought the decision, when he was still just a jounin sensei. So did the Second Hokage. They both lost, and as a result my teacher, Tsunade-hime was stripped of her genin status only a few months after her academy graduation. Years later, the Fourth Hokage also fought it, but he failed as well. Kunoichi of all ages and ranks were stripped of their status and told to go live as civilians from then on. It was described to me as one of the most devastating times for all women of Konoha. Tsunade had to watch her teammates grow up to be legendary ninja, while she was trapped in the village as a medic. Not that she wasn't amazing in her own right… Tsunade became the head medic-nin in all of Konoha, and one of the best medics in all our known world. But secretly, she continued to train with her sensei and team mates. She was unofficially one of Konoha's best unknown ninja, something she encouraged other women to be. She began training women, who trained other women, who trained other young girls, in the lost art of being a kunoichi. _

_That is how my story comes into play. When I was a child, I used to play with my two friends Naruto Uzumaki, and Sasuke Uchiha. They both lived in the Uchiha complex down the road from me, and they both were enrolled in the Shinobi Academy. My obsession with becoming a shinobi started the first time I saw them throwing weapons after school one day. Over the years, I would borrow their textbooks, and even do training exercises with them. Something we continued to do in secret even after Sasuke's older brother caught us and forbid them from encouraging me anymore. _

_Over the years, I met others who trained in secret like me. My best friend Ino, whose father would teach her in between her shifts at the flower shop and medic training. Girls like Tenten, who were worthless at medical jutsus but amazingly talented in other ways. Even meek girls like Hinata, who would never gain her rightful place as clan leader due to her gender. _

_When I was thirteen, I was approached by Tsunade to become her apprentice. It was the biggest honor I'd ever had in my life. She had apparently heard good things about me from her other apprentice Shizune. From then on I trained with her in the art of Medical Ninjutsu. But that was only what the council knew of. Secretly, she trained me in everything she knew, turning me into a formidable kunoichi._

_Living and practicing our skills in secret was all most of us, as women knew. On the surface, we were store owners, waitresses, medics, nurses, wives, mothers, sisters... Underneath of it, we were what we considered Konoha's last option. If we were ever invaded, we would fight, we would protect our home, consequences aside._

_Everything was as it had been my whole life, until Iwa invaded the northern border of grass country, sending warning of their intention to invade Fire country. The Sandaime ordered that all current shinobi, half of all the able bodied shinobi clansmen, as well as at least one male from each of the old fire clans report for battle. All men jounin level and up were immediately sent to different units as captains and lieutenants. All shinobi, genin and chuunin were to be sent to different training camps depending on age and skill level. Civillian men who wished to fight in ground troop forces were sent to their own boot camps._

_It was dangerous, what we did. We knew we faced death, and not just from the battlefield. It didn't matter though. Protecting our homes and our families was the most important thing to us. So, we did the unthinkable._

* * *

**Konoha –Spring**

"By order of the esteemed Sandaime Hokage, it is hereby stated that all Jounin ranked shinobi of Konohagakure no sato should report to the Hokage tower tomorrow morning, this March sixteenth at 0600 hours. It is also stated that half the men from every shinobi clan, all ranks, report to the desks set up inside the Hokage tower for deployment assignments by no later than Sunday the twenty-second of March at 1600 hours. The decision of who may stay behind to protect the village, and those who go to battle lands upon the head of each clan unless otherwise obliged to duty by the Jounin act previously stated. All Chuunin and Genin level shinobi are to check the roster posted on the second floor of the Hokages building for their boot camp and platoon assignments. It is also stated, by this order from the Hokage that at least one male from all of Fire countries old clans be ordered into battle. All men should report to the Hokage himself for their specific platoon and/or boot camp assignment by no later than March twenty-second. These clans are as follows, Haruno, Ito, Kimura, Lei, Nakamura, Narita, Sasaki, Takahashi, Tanaka, Yamazaki, and Yip. Esteemed old clansmen please step forward and collect your draft scrolls now. Able bodied Civillian men are encouraged to join the Konoha Military force, the information for which can be found at the Uchiha Police Force station. The enemy is upon us! But fire country is strong! We have fought greater foes and always come out victorious!..."

A short head of long pink hair tried to make her way through the grim crowd assembled around the special jounin.

"Excuse me. Pardon me." Sakura apologized many times as she made her way to the front desk.

"Yes?" said the chuunin at the desk. "How can I help you miss?" His brown hair fell over one eye, as a flirtatious smile filled his face.

"My names Haruno Sakura, I'm to retrieve my family's draft scroll" she said politely.

"The great Satoshi's daughter? I assume you brother will be answering the draft?" he questioned with a melting smile.

Inwardly Sakura scoffed, she knew this man, even his flirtatious smile could not hide the sexism that oozed from every pour of his body.

"No sir, I am Satoshi's only child. His wife is pregnant currently, but whether or not the child will be a male or not won't be much help to us at this point." She said quickly.

"What a shame. I assume one of your cousins then?"

"Probably not. The only male cousins we have live in a small village on the Eastern side of Fire."

"Well then, let's hope one of them steps up for your father. I hear he was greatly injured in the last war."

"He was." Sakura cut. This chuunin was annoying. A typical male specimen of Konoha's younger, more biased generations. To point out her fathers "shame" for having only her as a daughter was a cheap blow.

"We can only hope. After all we wouldn't want to bring shame to my clan. "

"Indeed." He said while handing her the scroll. "Good luck"

"Yeah, I'll need it." Sakura mumbled while walking away, fingers white from clutching the scroll.

It was late afternoon, the cherry blossom trees were blooming and children were running through the village smiling and laughing. The only thing that showed how untypical of a spring time Konoha afternoon this day was was the gloom that seemed to hang over every adults head. Faces were grim, eyebrows were furrowed with worry. Everywhere Sakura walked she could hear whispers about Iwa's march towards Konoha.

Sakura sighed. War was approaching, the second one she'd lived through. Though, this was the first one she'd have to sit through as an adult, as a woman, powerless to even fight for her country she held so dear to her heart.

It wasn't that Sakura was powerless. Quite the opposite, actually. Sakura, like many other women in the village trained in secrecy. She knew she was Chuunin level for sure in her shinobi skills, and that wasn't even including her vast array of medical ninjutsu. No, Sakura was "powerless" because of her sex. Women were prized in Konoha, that much was true. But they held little importance to anything outside of domestic purposes. Women were to be cared for, cherished, and held on a little shelf like some porcelain doll to cook, clean, and bear children for the important men in their life.

It sickened Sakura. There had been many times throughout her life she wished she had been born a son, a son that could have made her Father proud. Beyond that wish, was the wish she could have been born around the time the village was founded. Back then, women were equal to men, women could fight alongside as men as kunoichi. Unfortunately, the war between Sand and Leaf resulted in too many deaths among Kunoichi. Sand used the women as bait for the Shinobi, a tactic that was extremely effective. Konoha won, but barely. Over eighty percent of Konoha's kunoichi were lost in that war, and a good chunk of the surviving Kunoichi were too physically and emotionally scarred to ever go back to missions. The Elders outvoted the Second Hokage and banned all women from fighting as Kunoichi ever again. The Third Hokage was never happy with the fact that Kunoichi were disbanded, and The Fourth fought for womens rights to battle, but when it was brought up for a vote among the Elders and Clan heads, the vote lost.

A cool breeze blew past Sakura as she drifted along the path towards her family's home. As she approached the gate, old and tall, covered in climbing ivy, with cherry blossom trees on either side, she found herself being hit by a wave of nostalgia. There was a time when she would run through the gardens with her cousins, laughing and playing under her mother's watchful eye.

"_Kaasan"_ Sakura thought. Her beautiful mother. With hair the color of the deepest rose, and eyes that shone like pure amethyst. Her mother was truly beautiful, and everything she wasn't. While Sakura held her mother's petite lithe form, she seemed to lack the grace that flowed through her mother like water through a quiet brook. Her mother was soft spoken, and mild mannered. Sakura on the other hand was loud, quick tempered, and much like her father in personality. Her mother had a cunning, quick wit to her that Sakura could never try to emulate. Her mother was also confident, a true lady who knew exactly where she stood in life. Sakura on the other hand was just a young woman who was uncomfortable in her own skin.

As Sakura started to come towards the family shrine she veered towards it. Passing behind it, she entered the more quiet area of her property, the family cemetery.

Ancestors, old and recent, laid here for decades. All bearing the Haruno name. Grandparents, Uncles, even cousins all were here. Sakura passed a few of her favourite, the ones of old kunoichi, with epitaphs of honor on their markers, all praising them for their service to their country, village, and clan.

She came up to the most familiar one she knew, the one of her mother.

"Haruno Sakiko. Beloved wife and mother."

Sakura kneeled upon the grave and rearranged the flowers. Every morning, without fail for the past nine years, Sakura would visit her mother's grave and say a prayer. After nearly a decade she still missed her mother's touch, her voice, her laugh. She would give anything to lay her head in her mother's lap and hear her lullaby, to sit at the foot of her bed and feel her mother brush her long hair.

"Kaasan," She spoke. "I'm frightened. Iwa is marching towards Konoha, and war is almost certain…" She trailed off, he throat constricting with the stress her heart felt. "The Hokage has issued a draft again. Just like last time. Unless one of our family from the East steps up, Chichi-ue will have to fight again. He just can't mama!" Sakura raised her voice with emotion.

"Papa was already injured so badly in the last war, he is weak and his back hurts him all the time, even with Tsunade-shishou's work. The damage to his spine was too severe, and it healed all wrong. We thought he would get better, but he never truly did. Plus, his new wife will be having a baby this fall… he can't just leave her now! Ojisans are all too old to for battles and their sons are all too cowardly. They would gladly all step aside and let father die then do what it right mama!" At this point Sakura had to stop and control her breathing. Getting hysterical wasn't going to solve anything, and if Sakura was going to put her analytical mind to any use she was going to have to stay calm.

"I just don't know what to do kaasan… I wish there was something I could do, I wish I could go in his place… I love you kaasan. I'll come back and see you."

Sakura's eyes trailed to the small grave next to her mothers, it was older, laid about twenty years before. The name on the tiny head stone read "Haruno Shoichi". It was the grave of her older brother, the only sibling Sakura had ever had. He had died at birth, almost taking his mother with him.

She had heard from the gardener that her father had been utterly devastated when he lost his only son. The whole family had put all their hopes into Sakiko's second pregnancy, only to be very disappointed when Sakura was born. Sakura had no doubts in her mind that had her mother's second childbirth not yielded the same disastrous complications the first one had, which left her barren to anymore children, her parents would have continued until a son was born.

"_He may just get his wish."_ She thought with a foul taste in her mouth.

Her father, a man in his mid-fifties, had two years prior taken a young bride just nine years older than Sakura. Masami was her name, and she was a quiet, boring sort of woman. Sakura couldn't deny her beauty though. She had that classic sort of look. Long, straight black hair, small almond shape black eyes, and a voluptuous body on top of that. She and Sakura rarely conversed, and if they did it was small talk over family affairs. There was no real dislike between them. Masami was probably just too shy to approach Sakura to truly get to know her.

Sakura felt for Masami, she truly did. Her father and Masami's marriage was arranged by Masami's father and her own. Satoshi had decided that he had grieved his wife's death long enough. That even though she was his only love, he still had a duty to his clan to produce an heir. So, when Sakura was fifteen, he made an announcement that the head of the Haruno clan was seeking out a new wife. Many families came forward in the hope that their daughters would be seen as fit, each offering large dowry's.

To Sakura's shock, her father did not choose the ones with the largest offers, nor did he choose the ones that came from highly fertile lineage. Instead, he chose Masami, who came from a modest family of weapon merchants. By modest, they were the top selling weapon supplier to the shinobi of Konoha. The Lei family.

Masami was a distant cousin of Sakura's friend Tenten, and the third daughter of the family's head.

And, to her family's great joy, she was now entering her second trimester of pregnancy complication free.

The thought of pregnancies and children began to make Sakura's head fill with all sorts of unpleasant thoughts. Recently her father had been pressuring her to spend more time with Masami, and learn how to act like a proper lady and wife. Ever since her mother had died he had begun to steer her away from her friendships with boys, saying it was unladylike to run around playing ninja with the academy boys.

He had put her in etiquette lessons, dance, music, and art. He had barely supported her when she had been drafted into the medic-nin academy at twelve, but had quickly retracted his earlier displeasure when he had seen her grow close friendships with other girls her age.

Now that she was seventeen, she was a year over the marriageable age for a young woman in Konoha. Ever since her birthday he had been trying to groom her, and make her more presentable to the other clan heads in the hope that a suitable male would ask for her hand in marriage.

So far, there had been no luck.

Which, was something Sakura secretly found pleasure in. As much as Sakura wished to uphold her duty to her family, she did not want to be tied down to an unhappy marriage. She did not want to start birthing children as soon as she was married. Sakura was a dreamer, and he dreams consisted of battles, bloodshed, and victory on the battlefield. She wanted to become a world famous medic-nin and come up with medical justsu's as amazing as her shishou.

Unfortunately Sakura knew that she would never become a true Kunoichi, and she was somewhat resigned to the fate that she would be married soon, whether she liked it or not.

As Sakura began to walk towards her family home she looked down at the scroll in her hands wistfully.

"_If only I was a son"_ She thought with a sigh.

* * *

**Authors Note:** Well there you have it! The first chapter. I know it's short and somewhat slow, but i had to end it there for the next chapter to start where it does. :) I'll post the next chapter soon. Seeing as it is already done.

Let me know what you think!

~Laurie


	2. Chapter 2

**Well, here's chapter two! I'm currently editing and rewriting a lot of chapter three, but it should be posted in the next few days. :) I'm so excited about the response this has gotten, as well as the views. Seriously, i'm having so much fun writing this. I hope you enjoy this chapter!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto. And i'm slowly coming to terms with that... I also don't own the Of Monsters and Men lyrics i've used. :d**

* * *

_**So make all your last demands for I will forsake you  
And I'll meet your eyes for the very first time, for the very last  
So love me mother, and love me father, and love my sister as well  
So love me mother, and love me father, and love my brother as well**_

_As much as I complained, and hated my role in life, I knew I was privileged. After-all, I was trained as a medic-nin, I was Tsunades apprentice. I was smart, and from a wealthy clan. My place in life was set out before me before I could even walk. I would never have to struggle, and I would always have the best of the best. I had a high place in female society, made only higher by my occupation. As much as my father drove me insane with his pushing, deep down I knew he was only doing it to secure my future. He would find a wealthy man for me to marry, who would provide me with the same life I had grown accustomed to, if not better._

_Maybe I was an ungrateful daughter, but I couldn't be what my father wanted me to be. I wanted more, and with the invasion of Stone, I got exactly what I wanted. _

_To pretend to be a male, impersonate a shinobi, was a crime. It was dangerous, and to be caught would bring immense shame over my whole family. But, to stand by and let my injured father fight in a battle he was sure to lose… I couldn't do it. I wanted to fight in his place, I wanted to fight for my village, I wanted to protect all the people I loved. _

_So I did, and I wasn't alone. I came to Tsunade with the idea. Which Tenten overheard and immediadetly wanted in on. Tsunade was supportive, she even helped Tenten and I get into the training camps. But, while it was a comfort to know that we were both doing the same thing, we were very, very much alone. _

_Tenten was assigned to a training camp across the country from me, and it was a long, long time before I saw her again, covered in blood, in the heat of battle._

* * *

"Chichi-ue, I'm home!" Sakura called out as she walked into the front foyer.

"We're in the dining room Sakura-chan." She heard Masami's quiet voice call out to her.

Sakura walked through the lavishly decorated front hall. Earth tones filled the room, with the rich mahogany floor shining underneath the pristine oriental rugs. She kept her footsteps light, meek, opposite of her strong and confident persona.

As she entered the room, she saw her father and stepmother kneeling at opposite ends of the large cherry wood table. Masami looked up at her as she knelt at the table, while her father continued scowling at the cup of tea he held in his hands.

"I expected you home earlier today Sakura, you missed your tea lesson with Masami." He spoke quietly.

"I apologise Chichi-ue. I had work at the hospital, then a meeting with Tsunade-shishou. After that, I went to the square."

His eyebrows rose as quick as his scowl did.

"And why were you in the square today, Sakura?"

Sakura bowed her head as she reached into her sleeve to retrieve the scroll.

"I went there to retrieve our family's draft scroll father." She replied quietly.

"That was wholly unnecessary Sakura. Also, it was completely inappropriate. You are a woman; it is not your place to be involved in those sorts of affairs."

Sakura began to scowl at her father. "And why not? You are my father, and I am a Haruno. Until you have a son, I am your heir."

"Silence!" Satoshi said firmly. He was never one to yell, but the tone of his voice was equal to that of a scream. It only made to rile Sakura up more.

"You are a female Sakura! Do you not understand that you cannot act this way? You need to stay out of the affairs of men and you most surely need to stay out of my affairs. Neither the draft, nor the contents of that scroll are of any concern to you. This whole war is of no concern to you. The only thing you need to concern yourself with is your work in the hospital, and your lessons with Masami so that we can hopefully marry you off to a somewhat decent man."

The words stung Sakura more than her father could fully realise, but by the way Masami made eye contact with her, Sakura knew at that moment the woman understood.

"Is the well-being of my father not my concern?" She questioned quietly.

But, before her father could answer her remark Masami's smooth voice cut into the conversation.

"I think," She started calmly. "What Sakura-chan is trying to say, is that she is concerned over what you will do Satoshi. She was only trying to help you."

Her father had the gall to shrug. "I will do as I have always done Masami. I will answer the call to war. I will fight for my village. It is my duty, retired or not, I am a shinobi of leaf."

"You would fight injured?!" Sakura cried out. "You can't even walk properly, not without your cane! How do you expect to fight?"

Her father slammed his hands on the table at that point, this time raising his voice to her for the first time that she could ever remember.

"Will you ever learn respect child?! You will never become an honored wife. You're too willful, too outspoken, too disrespectful! None of those are qualities befitting a woman; none of those are qualities that any man wants in a wife! I regret the day I ever let that Tsunade take you as an apprentice. All she did was encourage the same bad-qualities that left her all alone as well."

"How dare you! How dare you speak of Tsunade-same that way! She is brilliant, and a far better person than most of the men in this village. You will die father! Don't you understand that?!"

"Then I will die as all shinobi wish to die. Fighting for the village they love. I am finished with this conversation Sakura. Leave me."

Tears filled her eyes as she stood and rushed out of the room. The colorful paintings on the wall rushed by her in a blur of colors as she ran through the lavishly decorated hallways, and out the back doors into the gardens.

She felt weak, worthless, and angry.

How dare her father! She had so much more to offer then just the typical housewife! She had chakra control better than ninety-five percent of all the current shinobi. Her medical ninjutsu was only bested by her own shishou, and her knowledge by the same and Shizune. Not only that, but she was easily chuunin rank, and with more training and field experience she knew she could easily gain the skills equal to jounin.

"_If only kunoichi hadn't been disbanded_." She thought bitterly. "_If only I were a man. Then I could fight for my father, so that he wouldn't die. Then he could help raise my little brother or sister. Then I could help…"_

"_**But what if you could?"**_ her inner thoughts whispered. "_**Why not fight? You have enough skills to go to one of those training camps... You could easily trick them all into believing you ARE a boy. A distant cousin perhaps…"**_

Sakura's eyes grew wide at those thoughts. But, how? How could she get the proper paperwork? Tsunade. Sakura gasped as her stomach began to clench painfully. She knew, she absolutely knew that not only would Tsunade support her, but she would help her get the necessary paperwork in order to go.

She had three days. Only three days.

Sakura knew she couldn't waste time, so she stood to immediately set off to Tsunade's office.

After three steps though, she heard the crunching of footsteps behind her.

"Sakura." She heard her father's voice echo quietly.

"Yes Chichi-ue?" she said quietly while turning to face him.

"Come, Sakura," he said while motioning to the old stone bench under her mother's favourite cherry tree. "I'd like to speak with you."

Sakura immediately walked to the bench and sat next to her father, who took her hand in his own.

"Sakura," he began while gazing at the koi pond in front of them. "I apologise for the way I acted in there. I sometimes forget that you are still so young, you may resemble a woman, but you are still only nineteen. I blame your behavior on myself."

"No father, my behavior is my own. I apologise. I was out of place."

He squeezed her hand as a wry smile formed on his face.

"The koi swims in circles year in and year out, until it begins its journey up the dragon river. It goes against the stream, against hundreds of other koi, until it reaches dragon's gate. It is said that the brave, strong koi leaps from the water it transforms into a beautiful dragon."

Sakura smiled at her father as nostalgic thoughts of her childhood began to fill her mind.

"You used to tell me that story when I was little, after Mama died."

He let out a small laugh and squeezed her hand again.

"I probably shouldn't have. I feel as if it is my fault that you act the way you do Sakura. I filled your head with stories like this, and stories of battles, when I instead should have hired a caretaker for you. You were so young, so impressionable. I thought that it was a phase. Instead of indulging in your fantasies of being a shinobi, I should have instead focused on the fact that you were just a girl, not a son. I have done wrong by you. And I apologise Sakura."

"Papa… I loved my childhood. You gave me hope there was more to this life…"

He let go of her hand and raised his own to stop her sentence.

"That's just it Sakura. There isn't more to life, at least not anymore. Not for you. In a different time, I would have proudly raised you to be a kunoichi. You're so much like my mother Sakura. You could have…" he trailed off before shaking his head and continuing again. "But it isn't Sakura. And, it's time you came to realise that. I wrote to your aunt, your mothers sister, a few weeks ago. Before all this war stuff came to light. She agreed to let you stay with her for a few months in Sand. But, seeing as our country is now at war, she has agreed to let you stay in Wind until the war is over."

Sakura went completely rigid.

"But… father... My work is here! I couldn't possibly go to Sand..."

"You can, and you will. You could easily work at the hospital there, and, from what I hear, the medical field in Suna leaves much to be desired. It would be beneficial to them, and to you. Ikari-san has agreed to take you under her wing, and help you grow into the beautiful woman I know you can be Sakura. She also will introduce you to the Clans in Suna. This is a clean slate for you Sakura. None of these clans know of your problems here. My goal in this is for your future Sakura. Either way, by the time you come back you will either be engaged to a nice man from Suna, or ready to be accepted by one of the Konoha clans."

Tears filled her eyes. She couldn't believe what she was hearing.

"What about Masami? You would leave her here all alone while I am in Suna, and you are out fighting in the war?"

"Masami will have the maids, she won't be alone." He answered calmly.

"When would I leave?" Sakura asked, feigning resignation.

"The twenty-fourth. At dawn. The same day I will be departing for battle." He answered, the far-away look entering his eyes once more.

"I don't expect you to understand what I am doing for you right now Sakura. I only ask that you accept it. You will appreciate this one day."

And then Satoshi stood, and limped away from her to leave her to her thoughts.

Little did he know that they were of anything but acceptance.

* * *

"Sakura! What on earth are you doing back here? Shouldn't you be at dinner with your family?" Tsunade said while pinning her gold eyes on her young apprentice.

Sakura bowed to her shishou while taking in the two other occupants in the room.

"I have something urgent I need to speak to you about shishou. Hello Shizune-nee, Tenten-chan."

Shizune smiled at Sakura, while Tenten waved and stood off to the side respectfully.

"Well, what is it Sakura?" Tsunade said while clasping her hands together and leaning her chin on them.

Sakura could feel all her courage leaving her as she stood in front of her Shishou.

"Shishou, it's about this war. I've come up with this idea, and I'll admit… it's crazy… suicide really… but wholly necessary. With my father being injured and Masami-san being pregnant…" She rambled.

"Sakura, get to the point." Tsunade cut in bluntly, while eyeing her expectantly.

"_**Yeesh… shes not one to ease the nerves."**_ Sakura's inner thoughts echoed. Internally, Sakura nodded in agreement.

Stomping down her fears, Sakura lifted her chin defiantly. She noticed the gleam of recognition in Tsunade's eyes, she could even see the wheels of realization turning.

"Tsunade-sama, I wish to fight in the war." She said in a strong voice. She heard Shizune's gasp, and the clang of a weapon falling out of Tenten's hands. Encouraged by the smirk that was growing on Tsunade's face she continued.

"I ask for your assistance in the necessary paperwork in order to disguise myself as a male, and enter one of the training camps."

A smirk grew on Tsunade's face as something Sakura recognized as pride flashed in her eyes. She began to open her mouth and speak before a strangled voice cut her off.

"Are you insane Sakura?!" Shizune cried out. "You will surely get yourself killed!"

"Not if I'm not discovered. The only way that will happen is if I fall in war, and if that happens then it wouldn't really matter anyways."

Shizune stared at Sakura bug eyed while Tenten stood in the corner studying her quietly.

Tsunade's smirk grew bigger. "And how do you expect to cover your disappearance to the elders, not to mention your family?" She asked.

"My father plans to send me to Suna in five days time. He will realise where I've gone come morning when he finds his hitai-ate missing. He'll be smart enough to keep his mouth shut about where I really am, most likely using the cover story that I left on the carriage to Suna. The Elder's wouldn't check into it, and my kaa-sans imouto wouldn't say any differently."

"Hmm." Tsunade said with a smirk. "You seem to have thought this through, and you have a likely cover. The problem is Sakura, do you think you can really do this?"

Sakura could feel her jaw involuntarily clench. "You know I can Shishou! No one will ever know the difference. I fight the way you taught me!" she said passionately.

"I can easily disguise myself, pink hair is a common trait among my clan. Chakra control is also common. I can say I'm from the east side of fire, that I trained under a traveling medic-nin in basic medical ninjutsu. I can claim the rest of my knowledge from my clan."

"You know there's no way possible to hold a henge that long?" Tsunade asked Sakura. Smirk still present on her face.

"Of course. I'll cut my hair. I know how to wear bindings, and the standard konoha uniform is baggy enough I'll just look scrawny." She replied to her shishou.

Shizune groaned at Sakura. "But your hair… It's so beautiful…"

"It's the only way Shizune-nee… I can't allow my father to go straight to his death. Plus, I was born for this! I know I can do this!"

Tsunade stood and circled her desk before coming to stand in front of Sakura.

"I know you can do this as well." She said with a genuine smile. "Women like us, we weren't born to be housewives. We were made to be shinobi, we were born fighting."

A thoughtful look crossed her face before she began to pace around the room.

"We'll have to come up with a convincing back story. I'll also need to get you the proper forgeries. Birth certificates, schooling records, vaccinations, as well as a list of abilities. You _cannot _use your strength to its full potential either. It would give you away too easily. Same for your medical ninjutsu's, keep it to a minimum."

Tsunade kept mumbling to herself as she made a mental checklist of everything that needed to be done.

That is until Tentens voice cut into the room.

"Send me as well! Please Tsunade-sama."

Tsunade paused mid-step and looked at Tenten startled.

"Tenten, are you sure, it would make it riskier to send both of you-"

"I don't care, that is, as long as Sakura doesn't." she added the end a bit sheepishly while giving Sakura a small grin.

Sakura smiled at Tenten and the other girls smile grew.

"I think it's a great idea, that way I wouldn't be alone in this."

"You girls know that the likelihood of you two going to the same training camp is only about thirty percent right?"

"I know." Tenten answered. "But I want to help as well, I want to fight for my country. You and I both know I don't have any talents besides making weapons. Most guys don't look for that skill when looking for a wife. I'm a failure as a medic-nin, I'm a terror in domestic situations, and all my immediate family is dead. I was made to fight, please Tsunade-sama." She bowed down in front of Tsunade before adding. "I beg of you."

Tsunade looked at the two girls in front of her before clapping her hands one time and smiling genuinely at them.

"I'll do everything in my power to help, but only if you two promise me you'll kick some Iwa ass and come back here in one piece!"

Shizune stood next to Tsunade with a worried, but proud smile.

"Konoha doesn't know what they're missing out on, but they are about to gain some amazing shinobi."

"Sakura, Tenten, you'll have to leave a few hours before sunrise on the twenty-fourth in order to make it to the training camps on time. You two will have to wait until then to cut your hair. Tenten" she said while looking at the girl, "I'll help you come up with a back story, and give you a hitai-ate to take with you. Sakura, you are going to have to link yourself to a distant relative that no one should know any personal details on. You bring your father's Hitai-ate and say he gave it to you to take to war. Shizune and I will get all the necessary paperwork and turn it in to the Hokage. When the camp assignments are posted, you two will know exactly where to go when you leave."

"But, how are you going to get this all done?" Sakura asked her Shishou.

"Tch. Don't worry Sakura, I have my ways." She said with a smug tone.

The four women stayed in the office for hours after that, planning exactly how they were going to go about this dangerous mission they'd given themselves. All of them knew their lives were on the line if they were ever discovered, but that thought couldn't have deterred them in the slightest.

This was their duty to their county, whether it was denied to them or not.

* * *

**Bam! There you have it! I hope you enjoyed, and if you have any advice on how i could improve, or you see any mistakes or inconsistencies please don't hesitate you let me know! just remember, nothing motivates a person to post another chapter as much as words of encouragement ;)**

**Until next time!**

**-Laurie**


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